Getty Carmelo Anthony
The news is not getting any better for Carmelo Anthony.
As the 35-year-old veteran continues to work out and participate in sessions with NBA teams, there is still no indication that any team will sign the 10-time All-Star, according to a report from Shams Charania of The Athletic. In fact, the one team that’s been linked to Anthony the most — the Brooklyn Nets — aren’t going to sign the former scoring champion before the season starts.
Charania explains why in his latest “Inside Pass” article.
“Meanwhile, the free agency of Carmelo Anthony continues, with NBA teams and even USA Basketball passing on bringing in the 10-time All-Star this summer. The Athletic’s NBA Inside Pass did a breakdown of Anthony’s situation in late July, and not much has changed beyond external hope and speculation.
Several of the clear fits, such as the Los Angeles Lakers and New York Knicks, have full rosters. Anthony is awaiting the call, and one union that appeared to have legs was with the Brooklyn Nets. Brooklyn added two stars and champions in Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving this offseason, so the electricity around the franchise is palpable.
After losing Wilson Chandler to a 25-game suspension, Anthony and players such as Dante Cunningham, Lance Thomas and Luol Deng emerged as viable options to sign. There’s been a sense around the Nets that players are hopeful to bring in Anthony, but the trust belongs with the front office.
However, the Nets are very unlikely to sign Anthony as of now, league sources told The Athletic.”
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Nets Are Passing on Carmelo Anthony for Lesser Players
Charania paints such a dire picture of Anthony’s chances of returning to the NBA that he even goes so far as to state that the Nets are likely to fill their roster void with the likes of Lance Thomas and C.J. Williams over Anthony.
The Nets have a void at small forward due to Wilson Chandler’s 25-game suspension. They’ll have roughly $580,000 to use from that absence on a player to occupy Chandler’s spot for the first couple of months of the season. In fact, Brooklyn has two open roster spots.
It had been rumored as of late that the Nets would be Anthony’s next stop. Several players of the Nets, including stars Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, want Brooklyn to pursue the respected veteran. However, it appears the Nets — like every other NBA team out there — are hesitant on signing Anthony.
Why Melo Can’t Nab Another Gig in the NBA
Anthony hasn’t been on an NBA roster since the Atlanta Hawks waived him back in February following a trade with the Houston Rockets. In fact, the 6-foot-8 forward hasn’t even played in a game since November of last year after being waived by the Rockets after just 10 games.
There isn’t a question whether or not Anthony is good enough to still play in the NBA. But it’s become clear that the negative perception of Anthony among executives and the veteran’s own past comments of not wanting to play off of the bench has prevented him from getting another gig in the league.
Although he hasn’t played a game in nearly a year, Anthony remains the biggest story in the NBA. Let’s hope that one more team is willing to give him a chance to end his career with his head held high, but at this stage, it’s not looking good.
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